FORMER ZAF COMMANDER ERIC CHIMESE, CHITA LODGES PROPRIETOR JAMES CHUNGU ACQUITTED
Former Zambia Airforce Commander Eric Chimese and Chita Lodges Limited Proprietor, James Chungu have been acquitted on charges of money laundering and abuse of authority.
Mr. Chimese was facing the said charges before magistrate Nsunge Chanda in an over five years trial at the Lusaka Magistrates Court.
In this matter, Lieutenant General Chimese was accused of having abused his office when he engaged some ZAF employees to install tiles at his properties in Ibex Hill, Lusaka, an act which was prejudicial to the interest of the Republic of Zambia.
It is acquittal after acquittal after acquittal.
Hakainde is still Mr. ZERO when it comes to fighting corruption.
It’s a travesty of justice. I heard it on tv news last evening. I’m glad that the state says it will appeal. Linking the acquittal to HH is for the less enlightened. Lt-Gen Eric Chimese and his co-accused were arrested and charged when Edgar Lungu was president. Hiwever, this is irrelevant. It’s justice that counts. The prosecution did a good job on this case. How could middle-ranking commissioned Zambia Air Force officers work on a private construction project during official hours and there’s no abuse of office? Come on, we’re not a failed state!
This is the problem with our investigative agencies and prosecutors. They are too lazy to do anything properly.
The investigators and prosecutors did decent work on this matter. I think the cause of the injustice in this case lies elsewhere. It doesn’t surprise me that the prosecution has said that they are appealing to the High Court.